1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an angular momentum and banking indicator and acceleration-deceleration and grade indicator system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a long standing need for an economical system which will indicate angular momentum and banking or acceleration-deceleration and grade information. Prior art systems have usually been limited to those applied to the aeronautical markets which are expensive to purchase, expensive to maintain and highly impractical for the ordinary individual to purchase.
Banking, as used by civil engineers on land type of base systems, refers to transverse slope on a track for a highway, which is usually used on curves to maintain traction. Highway engineers sometime refer to the term as super elevation. On highways, banking does not exceed 8 percent. Grading is a term referring to the rise in the longitudinal directional track or road. A one percent grade indicates a rise or fall of one foot in a hundred feet. When federally funded, highway grade does not exceed 6 percent. Prior art systems, such as gyroscopes, cannot tell whether a track or road is properly banked. One example is the use of a banking indicator for lubrication of track while a train is traveling. Trains have systems for sensing the need for lubrication and applying it to the wheels so that the track is lubricated. These oiler systems are activated by a gyroscope. Prior art gyroscope tend to either over oil or under oil. If the train is traveling at the proper speed for the bank, no additional lubrication is needed for either rail. If the train travels slower than the speed at which the road is banked for, the inside rails need more lubrication. If the train is traveling faster than the speed for which the track is banked, then the outside rails need extra lubrication. A prior art gyroscope can only sense direction and rate of the turn being made. This information is not sufficient for sensing conditions of a speeding train and properly lubricating. As a result, prior art devices either waste lubrication or under lubricate which results in track wear and extra fuel consumption. What is needed is a banking indicator which can tell whether the track is properly banked for the train speed and apply lubrication as needed. Over oiling can be a pollution problem, and a device is needed to properly sense bank so that oiling is appropriate.
Another prior art problem with gyroscope systems and other rate of turn indicators is side slippage or lack of headway on river craft. When moving multiple barges with a tow boat, the headway position on a river can be quite critical, especially when approaching a lock. If a boat with a large tow is struggling to make a lock, there is a great deal of uncertainty whether the currents will allow the tow to properly be moved into the lock. If it is known far enough in advance that the string of barges may not be moved into the lock, the tow boat may stop, tie off some of the barges, and make separate trips to the lock. Hours of time may be wasted in attempting to get a long tow through the lock. What is needed is a speed indicator that can indicate whether headway is being made in a river relative to the moving water and the shore.
When tow boats move away from a dock they very gradually gain speed. Their acceleration or deceleration is extremely slow. Their acceleration, and perhaps even the speed relative to the bank, actually stops. The boats may loose headway and start going backwards. It is difficult to note the moment when headway is lost. An indicator is needed which can immediately tell whether headway is lost and advise the tow boat whether to adjust its load of barges.
One particular example of a system which has always been in demand is a tilt indicator for a crane. Another system which is in demand is a braking indicator for vehicles. Another system which has been in demand is an acceleration-deceleration for trucks. Neither of these various systems for these types of transportation industries have been produced or sold on a cost effective basis and readily available.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages by providing a system which is unique, novel and cost effective which fulfills a long standing need.